Skip to main content

"The Dishes of Wash"

     As I sat writing, my mind whirring with ideas and incredible metaphors and analogies, I realized this story might be the best thing I ever wrote. I wrote with a prose and plot that would match that of the great poets of times passed. My mind was like a finely-tuned instrument playing perfectly in a royal orchestra. One that one the select few with the finest talent could perform. I felt inspired.
    Then, my stomach started to growl. It rumbled with a fiery pit of rage that one would be considered fortunate to never have to endure. The hunger simple could not do. So, I made my way elegantly to the kitchen to open some cabinets and scroll through with my eyes, those delectable things that would satiate my hunger pains. That's when I spotted it. Oatmeal. It wasn't much, but it was the only thing that clicked in my mind well enough, like that word you've been searching for but struggled to place.
    I grabbed a packet of oatmeal, admiring the apple crisp design on the package, and hunted my cabinets for a single bowl. But alas, I was met with an incredible amount of dismay. One that I wouldn't wish upon my fiercest of enemies. I couldn't find a single bowl. Not one that was microwave safe, that was. My disappointment was immeasurable, much like the saddened tune of a bird chirping as its wings had been clipped, thus rendering it unable to fly. But unlike the bird, I had a way out of my disastrous situation. I gazed over to my kitchen sink and pondered for a moment on how I could have let the dishes pile up as they were. There were too many dishes to wrap my weary mind around.
    Take pity upon my dear soul. I made a silent prayer before grabbing a plug for my sink drain, filling the sink with water, and pouring a delicate amount of dish soap within. As I watched the soap bubbles form, I was taken back to the times when life was simpler. A time when I didn't have to burden my sorrowful body with such trivial things like cleaning. But the new-found loneliness I found myself in had forced my hand. Forcing me to do dreadful things I never wished to do. The dishes...
    But as the sink water filled to the appropriate amount, I fetched my sponge and grabbed a dish, scrubbing my heart out. It was a dreadful task. And staring down in horror as I saw there was more than a single dish for my weary hands to scrub. I sighed. This was going to take all day. By the time I am done, I will have perished from starvation. I required oatmeal to quench my hunger pains. And I knew this was going to be a fierce battle that one must face alone. I embraced the mental anguish and pressed onward.
    As the next few bowls came and went, I felt the stress from the dreadful dishes start to melt away. I felt at peace. Like I was getting a shoulder rub from a loved one. And so, I pressed on further. But as I did, I noticed a rumbling within the water, waves crashing as water splashed the walls, threatening to tip over the bowls that I had spent an entirety of three minutes cleaning. Then, I stared in horror as a human hand shot up from the middle of the sink, making a grab for my bowls. I swatted at it, threatening it with a fork. Those who dare defy me must face the wrath of silverware.
    Then, another hand shot up from the water. I was so shocked by what I was seeing that I dropped my fork, a defeating clang ringing through the kitchen walls. The hands extended from the water and clutched the sides of the sink, as if trying to pull itself out of the dreaded pool of dirt dishes. I acted out of pure desperation and flipped the switch on the side of my faucet, a loud roaring ignited the sink. The garbage disposal was doing its work. The hands twitched as a muffled scream rang through the water. I felt terrible, almost disgusted that I had to bare witness to such atrocities, but if this is what a man must do in order to feast upon oatmeal, then so be it.
    As the hands disappeared and the grinding came to a halt, the sink water turned a misty red. How was I supposed to do my dishes now? I dared not think of an answer. I simply drained the water and grabbed a clean bowl from the piled I had endured having to clean. I filled it with water and oatmeal and let it cook.
    As I feasted, I headed back to my bedroom and sat in front of my computer once again, my mind whirring with incredible ideas and pretentious thoughts. Life was fine once again.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

01 "A Monstrous Storm"

  The shadows crept in through the window is the dark clouds overtook the mid-afternoon sky. A feeling of dread and hopelessness flooded me, tying my stomach into a knot. Looking at the clouds, I saw a streak of purple lightning streaking across the sky until it crashed down somewhere along the skyline with a thunderous boom, followed shortly by the ground rumbling beneath my feet. It was jarring. what started as a regular summer afternoon was quickly turning into something dreadful. The nearby trees were all swaying lightly in the breeze as rain gradually started pouring down, eventually creating a curtain of turrential downpour that threatened to flood the streets. Another flash of light followed by another thunderous boom forced me to look away from the window. It was becoming far too real for me. The oncoming storm was becoming too much to bear. I walked back into my bedroom and sat in front of my television. There was a news guy standing before a weather map. He was po...

"Hooked"

T he summer can be the perfect time to get away, to unwind while kicking your feet into the cool water while the hot sun is beaming down on you. But what if the bright summer sky was hiding behind it something even darker? I had been waiting for today all week. They'd finally opened the stream up for fishing. I was a little upset at the fact they'd decided to raise prices, but I didn't care, it was a nice day outside and I wasn't about to waste it sitting inside when I could be fishing. With my tacklebox in hand and my fishing pole in the other, I made my way to my truck. I threw everything in the back seat. I was about to head to the driver's seat but hesitated when I thought about bringing my cooler. I had one in the back ready for fish, as well as housing some canisters of worms. But what if I brought one along for some drinks? After a few moments I decided it might not be the greatest idea. It would be too much to carry and I didn't trust anyone that...

"Tapping"

T here are some things we are all afraid of, whether or not we choose to admit it to ourselves. Perhaps you feel that the ocean is a safe place, yet when you arrive you find yourself fearing what may be swimming below you. What brushed up against your leg? Can they feel you trembling? Can they smell your fear? There I lay, in bed in an attempt to fall asleep. My television was sitting at a low volume as to not awaken me by surprise as I drift to sleep. I've had the unpleasant experience before. Tonight, I turned to my side, facing away from the harsh light of the television, yet still able to make out almost perfectly what they were saying. What was on right now was a couple arguing in a sitcom. I didn't care much for what they were saying, but the roar of the laugh track after every line or two was somewhat soothing to me. I was so close to drifting to sleep, when across the room there came a tapping on my window. I sat up and turned toward the window. It was pitch black...